In El Paso, Texas, despite a decrease in migrant crossings, migrants released by the Biden administration are still seen sleeping and gathering in downtown. They stay in a church shelter at night and wander the commercial area during the day, sometimes panhandling or looking for odd jobs. One migrant, Julieta from Nicaragua, along with her family have been on the streets for eighteen days. They hope to reach Houston where they have relatives and friends. Julieta’s son was ill with chickenpox while in Border Patrol custody but recovered before being released.
The number of migrants in downtown has reduced significantly from a year ago when hundreds camped out there. Mexico’s government crackdown has reduced the number of migrants reaching the border. The Biden administration and Mexico’s President have made an agreement to decrease irregular migration, resulting in a reduction in migrant crossings in the El Paso Sector.
While there has been a decrease in crossings, Border Patrol still faces challenges with nearly 900 arrests per day in the sector. Despite this, the situation remains a crisis. Randy Clark, a retired veteran of the Border Patrol, provides insight on the current situation.
